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Arcia sent back to Triple-A after Major League debut

4/15/13: Oswaldo Arcia lines a base hit to right, the first hit of his Major League career, and advances to second in the second inning

By Rhett Bollinger
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MLB.com |

MINNEAPOLIS -- Oswaldo Arcia's first trip to the Major Leagues was a brief one.

Arcia, ranked as the No. 93 overall prospect and as the Twins' No. 5 prospect, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester before Monday's game against the Angels but was optioned immediately after the game. Arcia took the place of Wilkin Ramirez, who was placed on the paternity list on Sunday, but will rejoin the Twins on Tuesday.

"It was fun to watch him walk to the plate, but he'll get plenty of opportunities if he continues doing what he was doing in the Minor Leagues," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It's just one of those things where we brought him up here for a reason to get an at-bat and help us for a game or two."

Arcia, who started in left field and batted seventh, wasted no time getting his first big league hit, as he singled against Angels right-hander Joe Blanton in his first at-bat and reached second on an error by right fielder Josh Hamilton.

"I was very content," Arcia said through translator and Twins bullpen coach Bobby Cuellar. "I was looking for a good pitch to hit, and I hit it."

Arcia ended up going 1-for-3 in his debut but dropped a fly ball in the seventh for an error and was replaced by Aaron Hicks in the top of the eighth inning.

Arcia, 21, said he was notified of the decision that he would be called up to the Twins by Rochester manager Gene Glynn on Saturday after the Red Wings played in a doubleheader. He added that he told Gardenhire he was willing to play wherever they put him, even though he's mostly been used in right field throughout his Minor League career.

"I told him I was ready to play wherever," Arcia said before the game. "Left field, center, right -- I played all of these all the time in Venezuela."

Gardenhire added that Arcia was originally slated to start at designated hitter, but Josh Willingham came in feeling sick, so Willingham was out of the lineup with Arcia getting the start in left. Ryan Doumit started at DH.

Arcia, who was the organization's Minor League Player of the Year last season, was off to a hot start at Triple-A, hitting .414 with three homers, two doubles and eight RBIs in nine games.